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Neck muscle activity in skydivers during parachute opening shock
Author(s) -
Lo Martire R.,
Gladh K.,
Westman A.,
Lindholm P.,
Nilsson J.,
Äng B. O.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.12428
Subject(s) - shoulders , medicine , neck pain , neck muscles , electromyography , electrical shock , physical medicine and rehabilitation , shock (circulatory) , anatomy , anesthesia , surgery , pathology , alternative medicine , electrical engineering , engineering
This observational study investigated skydiver neck muscle activity during parachute opening shock ( POS ), as epidemiological data recently suggested neck pain in skydivers to be related to POS . Twenty experienced skydivers performed two terminal velocity skydives each. Surface electromyography quantified muscle activity bilaterally from the anterior neck, the upper and lower posterior neck, and the upper shoulders; and two triaxial accelerometers sampled deceleration. Muscle activity was normalized as the percentage of reference maximum voluntary electrical activity (% MVE ); and temporal muscle activity onset was related to POS onset. Our results showed that neck muscle activity during POS reached mean magnitudes of 53–104% MVE , often exceeding reference activity in the lower posterior neck and upper shoulders. All investigated muscle areas’ mean temporal onsets occurred <50 ms after POS onset (9–34 ms latencies), which is consistent with anticipatory motor control. The high muscle activity observed supports that the neck is under substantial strain during POS , while temporal muscle activation suggests anticipatory motor control to be a strategy used by skydivers to protect the cervical spine from POS . This study's findings contribute to understanding the high rates of POS ‐related neck pain, and further support the need for evaluation of neck pain preventative strategies.